A campaign to encourage more Kirklees firms to trade overseas has appointed its 40th export ambassador.

Kris Szajdzicki, founder of established exporting business ND Metering Solutions in Bradford, is the latest export ambassador appointed to support Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership’s We are International campaign. It follows the appointment of Paul Walters, managing director of Halifax-based Lime Tree Europe Ltd as the 39th export ambassador.

The network of export ambassadors have been selected from top exporting companies throughout the 10 local authority ares making up the city region to provide hands-on help and mentoring to new exporters and businesses wanting to break into new overseas markets.

The initiative – delivered in partnership with international trade specialists Chamber International, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Yorkshire, Enterprise Europe Network and the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce’s MY Export Hub – aims to add £1.6bn to the City Region economy and create thousands of jobs during the next five years.

Kris Szajdzicki says: “ I’m delighted to have been selected to join the We are International export ambassador network and to be able to assist businesses which see their future in overseas trade.

“Greater exporting has a role to play in the Leeds city region economy, but companies starting out must realise that exporting is hard work.

“The key to success in export is knowledge of your products and how they will fit into your new market in terms of the best route, the value chain, pricing.”

Paul said: “I’m delighted to become a We are International export ambassador, not just for the excitement of helping companies reap the rewards but because the region needs to help the government achieve its economic target. We cannot do this just by enabling existing exporters to increase their volumes. We need many new exporters and I’m convinced that they are out there.”

The export ambassadors have now supported more than 300 small and medium-sized firms across the Leeds City Region to take the first steps towards exporting.